This invention relates to novel ethanocarbazole derivatives, to therapeutically acceptable acid addition salts thereof, to processes for their preparation, to methods of using the derivatives and to pharmaceutical compositions of the derivatives. The derivatives are useful for treating depression in a mammal.
The applicants are aware of ethanocarbazole derivatives, as exemplified by R. Robinson and J. E. Saxton, J. Chem. Soc., 2596 (1953), H. Plieninger et al., Chem. Abstr. 60 11997c (1964) for Chem. Ber., 97, 667 (1964) and Derwent Publications Ltd., Farmdoc 49955 C for German Pat. No. 2,854,941 July 10, 1980, which are believed to be the most closely related compounds to the compounds of this invention. However, these reported compounds lack the substitutents on the ethanocarbazole ring, which are characteristic of the compounds of this invention.